Posts from — July 2011

Bahrain security forces ‘tortured patients’
By Patrick Cockburn – Friday, 22 April 2011

Bahrain’s security forces stole ambulances and posed as medics to round up injured protesters during a ferocious crackdown on unarmed demonstrators calling for reform of the monarchy, an investigation by a rights group reveals today.

The first major report on repression of the medical profession during the country’s crisis details how a doctor was abducted during an operation and injured patients lying in hospital were tortured and threatened with rape.

The investigation by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) followed a report by The Independent yesterday detailing threats faced by medical staff who treated victims of the repression. More than 30 medics have been taken away by security forces and have had little or no contact with their families.

The report said it found that security forces targeted Shia doctors in particular. The crackdown has created such a climate of fear that wounded people were too frightened to go to hospital to seek treatment.

The Bahraini monarchy responded to calls for reform by massed demonstrations starting on 14 February by calling in 2,000 troops from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Over the next two days, Bahraini security forces, backed by the Saudis, drove protesters from the streets, made arbitrary arrests of at least 500 people, systematically tortured detainees and sacked anybody who had shown sympathy for protests.

The group’s investigators said they received witness evidence that security forces stole at least six ambulances. “Police forcibly removed ambulance medics from the vehicles, made them remove their uniforms at gunpoint, and then posed as medics, reportedly to get closer to injured protesters to detain them,” the report said. It also related how “armed security forces abducted Dr Ali El-Ekri from the operating room while he was performing surgery at Salmaniya Hospital on 17 March.”

Patients and detainees have been targeted according to the report which says that methods used against them include “torture, beating, verbal abuse, humiliation, and threats of rape and killing.”

In one case a Bahraini called Ali was shot in the face with bird shot and was taken while unconscious to Salmaniya hospital in the capital Manama where he remained for five days. On his second day there “three armed security forces handcuffed Ali and a dozen other wounded men behind their backs with plastic wrist ties and began to beat them.”

Ali and the other patients were thrown from their beds onto the floor where they lay face first and were then dragged, leaving trails of blood, into a hallway of the hospital. An Indian nurse told the security men: “Don’t hurt them. They are our patients.” …more

Israeli Navy takes Dignite/Al Karama in international waters – CALL TO ACTION
by US Boat to Gaza
Tuesday Jul 19th, 2011 11:20 AM

Earlier today, the Israeli navy took control of the one boat from Freedom Flotilla II that had made it into international waters on their way to Gaza. The French-flagged boat – Dignite/Al Karama – carried 16 people from France, Canada, Greece, Sweden and Tunisia. They were stopped about 40 miles away from Gaza [in international waters] and after several hours the Israelis took control of the boat, bringing it to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

There are no reports of any injuries and we have heard the passengers were being arrested. We do not yet know how long they will be detained or what will happen to the boat.

We urge you to contact the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC to call for the immediate release of these people. And – most importantly – we must call on the Israeli government to end the siege and blockade of Gaza, and to treat the people of Palestine in compliance with international law!

Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC
telephone: 202-364-5500

fax: 202-364-5423

A list of the Israeli consulate offices around the U.S. will be posted our website later today. Please call any of those numbers as well. …source

Picket of Israeli owned-ship at Deltaport in response to blocking of aid flotilla to Gaza
By Canadian Boat to Gaza | July 19, 2011

Activists from throughout the Lower Mainland will gather early Tuesday morning at Deltaport for an information picket targeting a major Israeli shipping company, Zim. The action is in solidarity with the aid flotilla to Gaza, which included a Canadian Boat and which has been prevented from sailing to the occupied and blockaded Palestinian territory.

The protest will take place Tuesday, July 19, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m., Deltaport. Returning delegates from the Canadian Boat to Gaza, the Tahrir, will be among the participants in the picket Tuesday morning. The Tahrir was stopped from sailing to Gaza by the Greek coast guard.

“The Israeli government attacked our humanitarian flotilla with sabotage, threats of violence, and a great deal of political and economic pressure — that’s ultimately why the Greek government shamefully agreed to enforce the Israeli blockade,” said Irene MacInnes, a Vancouver member of the Canadian Boat to Gaza (CBG) who was among more than 30 Canadians on board the Tahrir.

“Our Canadian Boat and the Freedom Flotilla aimed to highlight the impact of the blockade of Gaza,” added MacInnes. “While Gazans cannot travel or ship exports by sea, massive Israeli companies like ZIM are able to freely do business around the world despite their connection to the unjust policies that bring so much suffering to Palestinians.”

Zim is by far the biggest Israeli shipping company, and one of the 10 largest in the world, with 60 weekly services to 180 ports worldwide, including Deltaport. This year’s Freedom Flotilla was a follow up to a similar effort in May 2010, when Israeli armed forces raided a Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, killing nine activists. …more

Israeli navy intercepts and boards Gaza-bound French boat
Published today (updated) 19/07/2011 15:34

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — The Israeli navy intercepted and boarded the French-flagged Dignite Al-Karame boat on Tuesday as it approached the Gaza Strip.

At least three Israeli military ships had surrounded the yacht as it neared Gaza, seeking to breach Israel’s blockade on the territory, an organizer told AFP on Tuesday.

The Israeli navy said it had “exhausted” all diplomatic channels but the vessel had ignored the calls. The navy then took control of the ship and are taking it to the port of Ashdod.

Following the seizure, the passengers’ health was examined and they were offered food and beverages, an army statement said.

The passengers will face questioning upon arrival at the Israeli port and will be referred to immigration authorities.

The Israeli army had released a statement earlier saying that ‘contact’ had been made with the boat.

“The boat is surrounded by at least three Israeli ships and since 9:06 am all the communications have been jammed. We can’t get in touch with them by phone or by Internet,” one of the organizers Julien Rivoire said by phone from Paris.

“We call on the French government to take its responsibilities and to protect the passengers, and to call on Israel not resort to violence.”

The boat set sail for Gaza after a night anchored at sea, despite Israeli warnings that it would intercept the vessel — the only boat remaining from a flotilla of 10 ships that had planned to breach Israel’s blockade this summer.

The Israel navy earlier warned the Dignite Al-Karame that it is on route to “an area under a maritime security blockade” and told them that any supplies they carry can be transferred through land crossings and the Ashdod port.

Organizers of the ship had said they expected it to arrive in Gaza on Tuesday.

“This ‘little’ boat symbolizes the determination of the international solidarity movement to break the blockade on Gaza and express its support for the 1.6 million Palestinians imprisoned there since 2007,” a statement from the boat said Monday.

“The fact that the Dignite Al Karama is at sea is a setback for the Israeli government which by force or by pressure is trying to perpetuate an illegal and criminal blockade and to silence civil society movements around the world,” it said.

The French-flagged vessel had managed to escape the clutches of the Greek coastguard on July 5, but two days later, it was blocked by the authorities in Crete when it stopped to refuel.

A 10 ship Freedom Flotilla had been due to sail from Greece at the end of June but was hit by a wave of red tape and technical faults which organizers blamed on Israel.

Israel has vowed to prevent any attempt to reach Gaza by sea in defiance of its naval blockade which was first imposed in 2006 after militants there captured an Israeli soldier.

Rights groups have the condemned the blockade as a form of collective punishment of the 1.6 million Gaza residents.

AFP contributed to this report …source

Bahrain: Systematic Attacks on Medical Providers
Stop Targeting Medics, Patients, Health Facilities
July 18, 2011

(Beirut) – The Bahraini government should immediately end its campaign of arrests of medical professionals and attacks on injured patients linked to recent anti-government protests, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Human Rights Watch called on authorities to investigate the violations against medical personnel and patients who exercised their rights to freedom of expression and assembly, hold those responsible to account, and allow unhindered access to medical treatment for all.

The 54-page report, “Targets of Retribution: Attacks against Medics, Injured Protesters, and Health Facilities,” documents serious government abuses, starting in mid-February 2011. These include attacks on health care providers; denial of medical access to protesters injured by security forces; the siege of hospitals and health centers; and the detention, ill-treatment, torture, and prosecution of medics and patients with protest-related injuries.

“The attacks on medics and wounded protesters have been part of an official policy of retribution against Bahrainis who supported pro-democracy protests,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Medical personnel who criticized the severe repression were singled out and jailed, among the more than 1,600 Bahrainis facing solitary confinement and ill-treatment in detention and unfair trials before a special military court.”

The government violations were part of the violent response by authorities to largely peaceful pro-democracy and anti-government demonstrations that began in February and continued months after military and security forces began a massive crackdown in mid-March, which led to the armed occupation of Bahrain’s main public hospital, the Salmaniya Medical Complex, on March 16.

Beginning on February 17, Human Rights Watch documented attacks by security forces on paramedics, doctors, and nurses who were providing urgent offsite medical care to wounded protesters and bystanders. Sadiq Alekry, a 44-year-old doctor, volunteered his services at the Pearl Roundabout on the evening of February 16, prior to the attack by security forces after midnight that resulted in the deaths of four protesters. Shortly after 3 a.m. Dr. Alekry said, riot police confronted him with sticks and guns, handcuffed him and began punching, kicking, and beating him with sticks. …more

After Opposition’s Withdrawal, U.S. Urged to Declare its Position on National Dialogue in Bahrain
For Immediate Release: July 19, 2011

Washington, D.C.—The U.S. government should immediately and publicly declare whether it still supports the Bahraini government’s National Dialogue after the country’s main opposition party, Al Wefaq, has officially withdrawn, said Human Rights First today.

“A wide range of human rights defenders in Bahrain told us last week the dialogue is cosmetic, and the U.S. government is losing credibility by being associated with it,” said Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley, who just returned from a fact finding mission in Bahrain. “Even as the dialogue sessions meet, the Bahraini government continues to shoot at civilians, detain opposition members, torture human rights defenders and intimidate all those who speak out.”

Last week, Human Rights First released a new report on the continuing human rights crackdown in Bahrain. The report is based on eye-witness testimonies and in-country interviews with human rights defenders, and includes recommendations for the U.S. and Bahraini governments.

The complete report and recommendations can be found here.

“Human rights defenders told us the Bahraini government must rebuild community trust before any dialogue can be real,” added Dooley. “They argue that the U.S. government has influence it can use in persuading the Bahraini government to take necessary confidence-building steps. These steps include: stopping all violence against peaceful protesters, ending the abuse and torture of all detainees –and giving them medical attention and visits from their families–and releasing all political detainees and members of the opposition. It’s time the U.S. government uses that influence.” …more

Remember 1973. Hold Torturers Accountable.
Americas, Amnesty Members, Torture, USA | Posted by: The Editors, July 19, 2011 at 10:06 AM
By Kalaya’an Mendoza, Field Organizer for Amnesty Western Region

On July 15th a group of activists from Amnesty International USA and Survivors of Torture International held a protest on board the Chilean vessel “La Esmeralda” as it docked in San Diego Harbor.

Activist Hannah Bogen in front of La Esmeralda in San Diego Harbor.

In 1973, after former Chilean General Augusto Pinochet seized power in a military coup, the ship served as an interrogation center for political prisoners. Survivors described torture that included beatings, electric shocks and sexual assault.

Currently, the Esmeralda is traveling around the Americas acting as a roving ambassador for Chile on a mission of “goodwill.” The crew invited happy families, wide-eyed tourists and, unbeknownst to them, a small group of human rights activists ready to unfurl signs on board that read: “Remember 1973. Hold Torturers Accountable.”

This protest follows the recent decision by a Chilean judge to drop charges against most of those implicated in the historic case of a priest believed to have died aboard the Esmeralda in 1973. Father Michael Woodward was arrested in September of that year, and taken to the Esmeralda, where he was interrogated and tortured. He was pronounced dead in a naval hospital six days after his arrest, but his body has never been recovered.

Twenty-nine former naval and police officials were initially indicted in the case. Last week, charges were dropped against nineteen of them. The remaining former low-ranking officials facing charges are now being prosecuted only for Father Woodward’s abduction, rather than for his torture and disappearance, which are crimes under international law. Guadalupe Marengo, Amnesty International’s Deputy For the Americas, sums it up:

“It is bitterly ironic that the Esmeralda is still going from international port to international port as a so-called ambassador for Chile, even as those involved in this infamous case of torture below its decks seem to be getting away with murder.”

Amnesty activists boarded the ship on behalf of the survivors and victims of the torture that was committed beneath its decks over 30 years ago. We wanted to remind the Chilean government of their responsibility to ensure that all those responsible for these heinous crimes, including those who gave the orders, are brought to justice. You can watch video footage of our protest here.

No matter where “La Esmeralda” goes, we shall follow. …source

Bahrain says talks to continue despite opposition walkout
Isabel Coles, Reuters July 18, 2011, 11:47 pm

DUBAI (Reuters) – Bahrain’s government expressed regret Monday that the country’s largest Shi’ite opposition group Wefaq planned to pull out of a national dialogue, but said political talks would continue with or without the influential group.

The Gulf kingdom’s Sunni rulers launched a national dialogue on July 2 to discuss reforms and address grievances, after a four-month crackdown that began in March and crushed weeks of pro-democracy protests led by the Shi’ite majority.

A walkout by the largest opposition group could damage the dialogue’s chances of reaching national consensus as sectarian tensions continue to simmer in kingdom.

Protests have erupted almost daily in Shi’ite villages ringing the capital Manama since Bahrain lifted emergency law in June, and tension had been rising as demonstrators increasingly demanded that the opposition quit the talks.

The National Dialogue’s spokesman, Isa Abdul Rahman, said Wefaq could rejoin the talks if it changed its mind.

“Should any participant choose to exclude themselves from the process, the door will remain open for them to return to the talks. Regardless of any participant’s decision to leave the Dialogue will continue,” he said.

Wefaq said Sunday it would withdraw because its views were not being taken seriously in talks it accused of being dominated by pro-government representatives. That decision still has to be ratified by the movement’s higher council.

Wefaq and six other political opposition groups, which were invited to take part in talks, have complained their proposed political reforms would never be put into effect because the opposition received only 35 out of 300 seats at the talks.

Wefaq, which held over 40 percent of seats in the country’s elected lower council before it resigned in protest in February, was given five seats at the talks.

The government has defended its apportioning of representatives, saying it wants the dialogue to include all Bahrainis, whether they are involved in politics or not.

Bahrain is seen as a fault line for tensions between Iran and Sunni Gulf Arab countries that are wary of protests spreading to their own Shi’ite minorities. The government has accused the opposition of pursuing a sectarian agenda with backing from nearby Shi’ite power Iran, charges the groups deny.

Mainstream opposition groups such as Wefaq have called for a more representative parliamentary system and greater powers for the elected lower council, whose powers are neutered by the upper Shura council, appointed by the king.

But hard liners calling for the abolition of the monarchy have gained popularity since the crackdown.

Dialogue spokesman Abdul Rahman said he was disappointed Wefaq had not stuck with the talks.

“It is sometimes harder to stay and help shape the solution than to walk away. Now is the moment to heal divides and unite behind a shared vision of Bahrain’s future,” said spokesman Isa Abdul Rahman. “We consider al-Wefaq’s contribution to the dialogue as central to its success thus far.” …source

[cb editor: after finding nothing of value at the table with al Khalifa, Al Wefaq seems a bit lost as it tries to reestablish it’s self amongst the opposition. Real questions remain what opportunism drew them to al Khalifa’s table to begin with. Al Khalifa with Western endorsement went back to the vomit of the pretense of reform that has plagued Bahrain for more than the last decade with Al Wefaq joining them as a seemingly willing partner. Since the national dialogue seemed not to include them, was “stacked against them”, they have now moved on but one can only be suspicious of what they have moved on to? Maybe an even more theatric rejoining of talks after they “walk out” on the “rest of the opposition”. A curious thought, perhaps they were “sent out” to bring something of value back to the table they left behind – an abandonment of a revolutionary movement they been all to reluctant to embrace from the beginning? This dangerous middle road seems all so attractive and easily played by Hamad and those who would see him King. It is with great hope they get on with the business of revolution and help insist on the disposal of the al Khalifa’s regime of terror and pain. ]

Bahrain’s opposition quits talks
irishtimes.com – Last Updated: Sunday, July 17, 2011, 16:23

Bahrain’s largest Shia opposition group Wefaq said today it planned to pull out of a national dialogue, which was aimed at reforms after mass pro-democracy protests rocked the Gulf island kingdom earlier this year.

Opposition groups like Wefaq had complained since talks began on July 2nd that they would never be able to get their proposed political reforms put into effect, as the opposition received only 35 of 300 seats at the talks.

The government has defended its apportioning of seats, saying it wanted the talks to include all Bahrainis, whether they were involved in politics or not.

“The Wefaq board decided to pull out of the so-called National Consensus Dialogue and submitted its decision to the Wefaq Shura council (upper council) for ratification,” Khalil al-Marzouq, spokesman for Wefaq, said.

“Wefaq tried with all seriousness to offer political solutions and it was always responded to with rejections, or it was ignored,” he said.

Mainstream opposition groups such as Wefaq have called for a more representative parliamentary system and greater powers to the elected lower council, whose powers are neutered by the upper Shura council, appointed by the king.

But hardliners calling for the abolition of the monarchy have gained popularity since the crackdown by Bahrain’s Sunni rulers. Security forces crushed weeks of protests in March led by the country’s majority Shia population, who were demanding a greater say in government.

The government accused the opposition of a sectarian agenda with backing from nearby Shia power Iran, charges the groups deny. Bahrain is seen as a fault line for tensions between Iran and Sunni Gulf Arab countries that are wary of protests spreading to their own Shia minorities. …more

[cb editor: Joe Stork and his team at Human Rights Watch continue to do an exceedingly excellent job regarding Bahrain. HRW has been a voice of objective reason in the midst of the insane brutality that has poured out from the al Khalifa regime on the people of Bahrain who seek dignity, protection of their human rights and to live in a fair and justly governed society. Congratulations to you Mr. Stork and to your team. Your contributions toward helping the people of Bahrain in this desperate hour are huge and immeasurable Mr. Stork. Thank you. ]

Special Reports
HRW says Bahrain targeting medical workers
Published: July 18, 2011 at 1:33 PM

BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 18 (UPI) — Targeting members of the medical community is part of an effort by the monarchy in Bahrain to silence critics, Human Rights Watch said from Beirut.

Physicians for Human Rights in April said it had forensic evidence to suggest Bahraini security forces attacked medical staff and patients with bullets and chemical agents.

At least 47 healthcare workers were charged with various crimes since protests broke out early this year.

In March U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay described the March 16 seizure by security forces of a hospital in Bahrain as “shocking and illegal conduct.”

Human Rights Watch in a 54-page report said it had documented “serious government abuses” against medics and patients wounded during opposition protests.

The United Nations in early July praised Bahrain for launching a national dialogue secession following early criticism that the minority Sunni-led monarchy was using a heavy hand against a Shiite uprising early this year.

But Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said targeting the medical community was part of an official policy against pro-democracy forces in Bahrain.

“Officials justify the government’s crackdown and the arrests of the medics by alleging that they violated the principle of medical neutrality and committed heinous crimes,” he said in a statement. “Yet they have failed to provide any convincing evidence that their actions are anything but a campaign of retribution aimed at silencing government critics.” …source

The Interview with Bahrain Revolution’s Poet, “Ayat Al-Gormezi”
shiapost | July 18, 2011

“When I stood in the roundabout I wasn’t intending to offend the regime, but to expose the people’s sufferings,” Ayat told Al-Manar Website, reassuring her belief that “the core of the conflict in Bahrain is not in the regime figures, but in the policy that this regime adopts.”

“We are living a crisis of trust and dignity… especially as detainees, we were exposed to the worst kinds of abuses,” Ayat said.

Nine Days under Torture, Inquiry Absurd

The revolution’s poet told Al-Manar Website about the level of torture and brutal beating that she faced in detention, indicating that “they started torturing me the moment i laid foot in the security vehicle…the security men started beating me blindly on the face. As soon as I arrived to the interrogation department, a group of men there started kicking and beating me.

“They kept me in a small room that smelled very bad… it was filthy and full of insects… and they were continuously beating me and cursing me without any interrogation,” Ayat said.

She continued: “I spent nine days of torture in the interrogation center, even though interrogations usually take only two to three days. The inquiry was absurd… the interrogator focused on reminding me that the state was paying my education fees, and that it had paid for my father’s education too. He was also pointing out that my father works in a ministry and that our house is property of the State, while barely mentioning the poem I read on the roundabout.”

“After the interrogation center, I was moved to the remand center. It was a prison for detainees that were not sentenced yet. They kept me in an isolated room for several days, due to the apparent torture marks on my face. They locked me up until the marks were gone, and then they allowed me to call my parents… I didn’t speak to my parents except after 16 days of detention,” Ayat further explained. …more

Five Months of Waiting
What happens when a revolution stalls out?
BY SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS | JULY 15, 2011

CAIRO — Five months after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, Tahrir Square has, once again, been transformed into a mass protest encampment and the epicenter of the struggle for change in Egypt. Thousands of protesters are entering the second week of a sit-in reminiscent of the one that captured the world’s attention during the 18-day uprising that began on Jan. 25.

At the heart of the matter is the feeling of many that the basic demands of the revolution have gone unfulfilled, with little indication that a path for real change lies ahead; that the calls for justice and accountability for members of the former regime and security forces accused of killing protesters have gone unanswered; and that the revolutionary demands of “bread, freedom, social justice” have all but been abandoned.

“I’m here because most of our demands have not been met,” says Lobna Darwish, a 24-year-old protester who is taking part in the sit-in. Many activists are fed up with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and their handling of Egypt’s transitional period following after the ouster of Mubarak.

In Tahrir, protesters have dug in for the long haul. The middle of the square has been converted into a tent city, complete with winding pathways, food stocking centers, and a hairdresser. Electricity has been routed from street lamps to power fans and recharge cell phones. Wi-Fi Internet connections and satellite TV have been set up. Protesters have organized popular committees to protect the entrances, sweep the streets, and make collective decisions about living in the square. To counter the oppressive summer heat, a massive white canopy has been stitched together and strung across the middle garden using scaffolding and rope to provide much-needed shade. Numerous stages have been constructed where speakers lead protest chants and musicians perform. A nightly “Tahrir Cinema” has been organized to screen raw footage, experimental documentaries, and finished films about the revolution. In the evenings, when the weather cools, the crowds swell dramatically, and thousands more gather to join those camping in the square, hold political discussions, and demonstrate. …more

You Can’t Kill a Planet and Live on It, Too
By Frank Joseph Smecker and Derrick Jensen
Truthout -Sunday, Jul 17, 2011

Let’s expose the structure of violence that keeps the world economy running.

With an entire planet being slaughtered before our eyes, it’s terrifying to watch the very culture responsible for this – the culture of industrial civilization, fueled by a finite source of fossil fuels, primarily a dwindling supply of oil – thrust forward wantonly to fuel its insatiable appetite for “growth.”

Deluded by myths of progress and suffering from the psychosis of technomania complicated by addiction to depleting oil reserves, industrial society leaves a crescendo of atrocities in its wake.

A very partial list would include the Bhopal chemical disaster, numerous oil spills, the illegal depleted uranium-spewing occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan, mountaintop removal, the nuclear meltdown of Fukushima, the permanent removal of 95 percent of the large fish from the oceans (not to mention full-on systemic collapse of those oceans), indigenous communities replacement by oil wells, the mining of coltan for cell phones and Playstations along the Democratic Republic of the Congo/Rwanda border – resulting in tribal warfare and the near-extinction of the Eastern Lowland gorilla.

As though 200 species going extinct each day were not enough, climate change, a direct result of burning fossil fuels, has proved not only to be as unpredictable as it is real, but as destructive as it is unpredictable. The erratic and lethal characteristics of a changing planet and its shifting atmosphere are becoming the norm of the 21st century, their impact accelerating at an alarming pace, bringing this planet closer, sooner than later, to a point of uninhabitable ghastliness. And yet, collective apathy, ignorance and self-imposed denial in the face of all this sadistic exploitation and violence marches this culture closer to self-annihilation. …more

Tunisian riots claim first victim
Posted on July 18, 2011 by mat

TUNIS (Reuters) – One man was killed in a demonstration in Tunisia on Sunday when soldiers fired into the air to bring the crowd under control.

It was the first reported death in a wave of violent protests that have hit Tunis and other cities.

“One civilian was killed yesterday evening in Sidi Bouzid when soldiers fired into the air to disperse rioters who had attacked the soldiers,” a Defence Ministry official, Colonel Marouan Bouguerra, told journalists in Tunis on Monday.

Sidi Bouzid is the town in central Tunisia where a young man killed himself by setting himself on fire last December, providing the spark that set off the Arab Spring revolutions now convulsing much of the region.

The rioting is the starkest sign to date of the friction between Tunisia’s secular establishment and Islamists who have been growing more assertive since the country’s autocratic leader was ousted in a revolution six months ago.

The government has said the rioting was orchestrated by extremist groups trying to undermine stability. …source

Arms Trade Treaty May Bypass Anti-Riot Weapons
By Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 18, 2011 (IPS) – When weeklong negotiations on the control and regulation of the global arms trade were concluded last week, there was one missing link in the proposed treaty: riot control equipment used recently against peaceful demonstrators in the streets of Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Yemen and Jordan.

The Arms Trade Treaty, which is expected to be finalised and signed next year, is either ambiguous or excludes “weapons of repression”, including rubber bullets, water cannons, tear gas canisters, and high voltage electric-shock stun guns.

Described as combat protective equipment, these weapons are used not only by national armed forces but also by law enforcement agencies, including the police and prison services.

The London-based Amnesty International (AI) warned that if certain types of security and police equipment such as non-military firearms, including riot guns, crowd control vehicles, shotgun ammunition and tear gas, are not clearly covered by the ATT, “many governments will not prevent such arms being supplied and used for serious violations of human rights”.

Jeff Abramson, coordinator of the Control Arms Secretariat, a global civil society coalition, told IPS the last draft of the chairman’s text will need to be transformed into treaty language, but the precise process as to how that will happen is still unclear.

“There could be both improvements and backsliding as that happens,” he said.

Members of the Control Arms coalition will be working hard to see that improvements occur on what is generally a positive paper now, he added.

“Those areas for improvement include inclusion of police and crowd control equipment, the same items that are often used to commit the abuses for which a robust Arms Trade Treaty would work to stop,” noted Abramson.

Currently, there are no comprehensive or binding international rules or treaties governing the international trade in conventional weapons. Gaps and loopholes in national controls allow weapons and armaments to end up in the hands of serious human rights abusers.

In a statement released Friday, AI pointed out the recent repression in the Middle East and North Africa demonstrates that a wide range of arms used by military, security and police forces must be covered under the scope of the ATT. …more

POMED Wire: More Deaths in Bahrain
16 July 2011

Bahraini security forces have been increasing their use of tear gas against protesters, which have resulted in numerous deaths including the death of Zainab Hassan, 47 year old mother of two girls. In addition, riot police attacked people’s homes in Sitra on Friday and chased people out of the village.

An Irish group began a fact finding mission in Bahrain to determine the condition of detained medical workers and doctors that have been detained in Bahrain. The delegation arrived in unofficial capacity despite hesitation from Bahraini authorities to allow entry into the country. The group met with family members of detained medics and with some who have been released. Authorities did not allow the group to meet with detained medics. Currently, 47 medics have been arrested and detained, and the fact finding mission plans to remain in Bahrain till the conflict is resolved.

Human Rights First released it’s second fact-finding mission report that took place on July 6 to July 12 outlining the torture protesters and civilians have to endure from the security forces.

The National Journal met with Maryam Al-Khawaja, the 24-year-old director of foreign relations for the Bahrain Center for Human Rights on Capitol Hill to discuss reasons for her encouragement toward the U.S. to step up efforts to convince Bahrain to stop human rights violations. In response to Bahrain’s attempt of a national dialogue, Al-Khawaja, said that this is the government’s attempt to buy time and “get some positive media attention for what they are doing.” …source

Talks ‘only way to peace in Bahrain’

BAHRAIN’S sectarian divide can only be solved by talking through each problem with all members of the community, says a European political delegation.

Non-participation of groups in National Dialogue will only lead to further divisions, it added.

The statement was made during a meeting held by editor-in-chief of our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej, Anwar Abdulrahman, and deputy editor Sayed Zahra with British MP Mike Hancock and Polish MP Professor Tadeusz Iwinski.

The Council of Europe members are part of a delegation which has been meeting politicians, ministers, the youth and expatriates to gauge an understanding of what happened during February and March.

The one-week visit also aims to discuss what can be done to avoid further unrest.

“We are here to listen, learn and tell a story about Bahrain to the outside world which perhaps has not been told before,” said Mr Hancock.

“There is a huge degree of ignorance at how the situation has been portrayed in the international media.

“What happened here started out as an internal issue between the two sects but continued and gathered momentum as external influences played their part.

“The strongest influences were undoubtedly from Iran and the US, and Iran can win a number of wars without firing a shot due to its sheer level of influence within society.

“Now people have to know what will happen to this country if a solution is not reached and the only way of raising this awareness is by talking.”

The delegation assured Mr Zahra and Mr Abdulrahman that the purpose of their visit was not to defend the position of Bahrain, but to present a balanced and non-biased report of the country to their respective parliaments.

“I ask you not to come here to defend us or our position, but leave with a balanced and clear view of Bahrain,” said Mr Zahra.

“This country is suffering from a sectarian division and issues in society.

“However, there is widespread ignorance in Europe, not only within the media but also among officials and what people forget is that Bahrain was a pioneer of democracy in this region.”

The delegation advocated that the Dialogue talks should be extended beyond its allocated month timeframe. …more

Journalist harassed after press briefing in Bahrain
Posted on 2011/07/17

Following a press briefing organised by the Irish delegation of medical, political and human rights figures at the end of their visit to Bahrain on 14 July 2011 the journalist Ms Reem Khalifa was surrounded by pro-Government protesters and abused and harassed. The protesters then called the police and claimed one of their number had been struck on the jaw. Eye witnesses to the encounter have testified that no person was struck and that it was Ms Reem Khalifa who was the victim of harassment and that she then walked away from the confrontation in the hotel lobby.

The Irish delegation press briefing had been disrupted by a small group of women who shouted repeatedly. Delegation members were interviewed by a number of journalists including Reem Khalifa at the end of the briefing. When Reem Khalifa went to exit through the lobby of the Ramada Palace Hotel she was surrounded by a small group of women who shouted abuse at her, seemingly because she had been undertaking her legitimate journalistic activity and interviewing members of the delegation. …more

Egypt Military Moves to Cement a Muscular Role in Government

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: July 16, 2011

CAIRO — The military council governing Egypt is moving to lay down ground rules for a new constitution that would protect and potentially expand its own authority indefinitely, possibly circumscribing the power of future elected officials.

Protesters unhappy with the military council have returned to Tahrir Square with increasing frequency to voice their demands.

The military announced Tuesday that it planned to adopt a “declaration of basic principles” to govern the drafting of a constitution, and liberals here initially welcomed the move as a concession to their demand for a Bill of Rights-style guarantee of civil liberties that would limit the potential repercussions of an Islamist victory at the polls.

But legal experts enlisted by the military to write the declaration say that it will spell out the armed forces’ role in the civilian government, potentially shielding the defense budget from public or parliamentary scrutiny and protecting the military’s vast economic interests. Proposals under consideration would give the military a broad mandate to intercede in Egyptian politics to protect national unity or the secular character of the state. A top general publicly suggested such a role, according to a report last month in the Egyptian newspaper Al- Masry Al- Youm. The military plans to adopt the document on its own, before any election, referendum or constitution sets up a civilian authority, said Mohamed Nour Farahat, a law professor working on the declaration. That would represent an about-face for a force that, after helping to oust President Hosni Mubarak five months ago, consistently pledged to turn over power to elected officials who would draft a constitution. Though the proposed declaration might protect liberals from an Islamist-dominated constitution, it could also limit democracy by shielding the military from full civilian control.

The military is long accustomed to virtual autonomy. Its budget has never been disclosed to Parliament, and its operations extend into commercial businesses like hotels, consumer electronics, bottled water and car manufacturing. …more

Civil society organisations urge Human Rights Council to condemn crackdown in Bahrain and Yemen | 07/06/2011

Geneva. 7 June 2011. Silence by the international community in the face of the massive crackdown on protestors, civil society and the media in both Yemen and Bahrain makes it complicit in these actions said CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) today. Echoing civil society representatives at a side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council yesterday, CIVICUS and CIHRS call on the international community to condemn the on-going repression in both countries.

“Civil society activists and citizens have been peacefully protesting for their rights in Yemen and Bahrain, yet they’ve been met by repression from their own governments and silence from the international community,” said Adam Nord, Lobbying and Engagement Manager at CIVICUS. “The international community and the UN Human Rights Council in particular need to be explicit in their support for the peaceful pursuit of human rights in both countries and insist on the immediate end to violence.”

The side event, entitled ‘The Arab Protest Movements: Bahrain and Yemen in Focus’ and attended by over 60 participants, emphasised the silence of the international community in the face of widespread violations of human rights in both countries. According to Sohair Riad, a researcher on Yemen with CIHRS, around 200 protestors have been killed since the protests started in February 2011 and there is a widespread crackdown on civil society, human rights defenders and the media in the country.

Similarly, Maryam Al-Khawaja, Head of the Foreign Relations Office at the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, described the crackdown on all who supported the protests in Bahrain, from prosecution of doctors and medics who treated protestors, to the expulsion of university students who participated in protests, to a widespread clampdown on the media and civil society organisations. So far the international community has been mostly silent on the situation in Bahrain and Yemen.

“Governments often repeat that a certain threshold needs to be passed before the UN Human Rights Council should act, but the Council must not passively wait for a massacre while well documented and widespread human rights violations continue to escalate,” said Laila Matar, UN Advocacy Representative with CIHRS. “The crackdown on the rights of Yemeni and Bahraini citizens is already extreme – condemnation and political isolation from the UN Human Rights Council and foreign governments has the potential to have real impact in this situation.”

CIVICUS and CIHRS call on government members of the UN Human Rights Council to take immediate action by adopting a strong Council resolution condemning the ever increasing government attacks on civil society and human rights in Yemen and Bahrain. “The Council should also request the High Commissioner for Human Rights to brief the Council on the situation in these countries. It is not too late to exert political pressure to reverse the repression of human rights,” said Nord. …source

Bahrain: Vicious attacks on protestors as resistance solidifies
Bahrain Freedom Movement – 15/07/2011 – 11:25 p | Hits: 215

Peaceful demonstrations were attacked this afternoon by the Saudi and Al Khalifa forces and Death Squads in the towns and villages of Sitra. Bahrainis have called for today’s protests calling for the right of self-determination for the citizens and an end to the hereditary dictatorship that have plagued Bahrain for decades.

The regime’s forces, many of whom are hired mercenaries, used chemical and tear gases to subdue the youth who reacted by erecting barricades and shouting slogans against the Saudi and Al Khalifa occupiers. Several Bahrainis were injured in these vicious attacks by foreign forces. One woman had her car destroyed by these mercenaries and fire was seen bellowing. Running battles are still raging between the two sides while the area has been hit hard with these poisonous gases. Several houses were attacked by the Al Saud and Al Khalifa forces. The main slogan was: “Down with Hamad” referring to the dictator who has now become symbol of hatred in the country for his role in the bloodbath in the past few months. He is now held responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The town of Ekr, Mhazza, Ma’amir and Outer Sitra have become the main grounds of confrontations.

The Irish former Foreign Minister, David Andrews today said that Bahraini pro-government medics and state media staffers “bullied and intimidated” an Irish delegation of health workers and politicians here to secure the release of more than a dozen Bahraini health workers. He accused the president of the Bahrain Medical Society, Dr. Nabeel al-Ansari, of provoking the incident. “It’s most unfortunate that we were bullied and intimidated by him and his representatives.” “We have not come to save Irish doctors,” Damian McCormack, who led the delegation, told reporters. “We came to Bahrain to help Bahrainis,” said the professor of orthopedic surgery at Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin. The delegation arrived on the Gulf island with a letter of support from the Irish foreign minister, Eamon Gilmore. They traveled here as part of an effort to determine the condition of the Bahraini health workers, many of whom had trained in Ireland.

On another level, more arrests have taken place in recent days, provoking more anger and frustration as the people continued their struggle to secure their rights. In the town of Al Ekr in the South East of the country, a Bahraini man was attacked savagely by members of the Death Squads before being snatched to the torture chambers. Jaffar Abbas Abdulla Al Moghanni was attacked as he walked in the street. His wounds were described as serious and he was on the brink of unconsciousness when he was kidnapped by the regime’s agents. Another young man, Sayyed Ahmad Al Wada’ei was arrested in the early hours of today. He had been sentenced by the military court for one year imprisonment for taking part in anti-regime peaceful demonstrations. His image on several TV screens soon after the Saudi aggression in March with blood pouring over his face and soaking his clothes had angered the Saudi and Al Khalifa occupiers. Instead of arresting his attackers, he was treated in this way as the occupiers decided to take revenge from Bahrainis.

The release of the young Bahraini poet, Ayat Al Qurmuzi, has been hailed as a victory for the people over the hereditary dictatorship. Ayat was arrested in March and kept under severe torture throughout. She became a symbol of resistance with many world artists and poets campaigning for her release. She was forced, under physical and psychological torture to “apologise” from the dictator but she has now vowed to continue her struggle until a regime change is achieved. Her testimony is expected to contribute to the indictment of the dictator, Hamad Al Khalifa and both his son and uncle who had given orders to kill and torture Bahrainis. War crimes were committed and torture is still being administered under the instruction of them.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
15th July 2011

…source

NATIONAL SECURITY
What’s The State of Play In Bahrain’s Protests?
National Journal catches up with Maryam Al-Khawaja, one of the few activists able to advocate abroad.

By Sara Sorcher – Updated: July 16, 2011 | 1:23 p.m. -July 16, 2011 | 6:00 a.m.

Maryam Al-Khawaja, the 24-year-old director of foreign relations for the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, is one of the few Bahraini activists able to speak about the uprising outside the borders of the tiny, oil-rich island nation. Many of the others, Al-Khawaja says, were slapped with travel bans or have already been arrested.

National Journal caught up with Al-Khawaja on Capitol Hill, in between her meetings with State Department staff, Capitol Hill offices, and nongovernmental organizations to make the case for the United States to step up efforts to convince Bahrain to stop human-rights violations. Last month, she received word that her father Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja—one of Bahrain’s most prominent activists and BCHR’s founder—was sentenced to life in jail by a military tribunal on charges of anti-government propaganda.

In efforts to stem the protests wracking the streets of Bahrain, the Sunni rulers announced a “national dialogue” with the opposition largely comprised of Shi’ites, who make up about 70 percent of the population. (Click for more background on protests in Bahrain. Edited excerpts follow.)

NJ: Delegates of the main opposition party in Bahrain, Al Wefaq, are now threatening to pull out of this so-called National Dialogue. Why is this, and what would it mean for the protests?

MK: Although it seems like a great idea, unfortunately, the way the dialogue is set up means people on the ground in Bahrain were saying it was a failure before it even began. If you log onto Twitter, there’s even a hash tag for “Joke of a Dialogue.” You have 300 people invited to this dialogue to discuss demands with the opposition – who are representing the people on the streets – only representing 25 of the seats. It was an attempt to buy some time and get some positive media attention to what they’re doing. If [opposition parties] withdraw… that would automatically mean that the dialogue was over, and much larger numbers of people on the streets again.

NJ: Is the opposition unified over this decision?

MK: Before February 14, the political parties were the main forces that could [effect change]… But that changed when the youth called for and organized the protests. They put out statements, they use Twitter, Facebook. The reason these youth haven’t been flushed out yet is because the government doesn’t know who they are. Even today it’s still the youth that are in control, who are calling for protests. When Al Wefaq decided to go into the dialogue, they suffered a lot of heavy criticism, and they lost a lot of supporters– especially by the youth who felt they were being betrayed.

NJ: So what’s the end game for the protesters?

MK: The protests to begin with were calling for a new constitution written by the people for the people. People are asking for… a real parliament with legislative power, authority to hold the government accountable for what they’re doing. The protesters had a very serious discussion on the ground about whether they wanted the royal family to step down completely, or whether they wanted a constitutional monarchy. I would always ask the question, ‘Do you really think the government’s going to give you that choice?’

NJ: What makes you think that?

MK: If anything, they’re going to do the exact same thing as they did in 2001, which is make promises of reform [for political freedoms for the Sh’ites], initiate some reforms, but then never institutionalize it. Which basically means in a couple of years we’ll be right back where we are now. This has been the way of the regime since the royal family took over Bahrain, which was [more than 200] years ago.

NJ: Would that work this time?

MK: The regime is going to try and play a very smart game– cracking down as severely as possible, and then suddenly making very artificial progress, which is what they’re doing right now by releasing a few prisoners, stopping the torture, allowing family visitations. But the youth are not buying into it this time. They remember what happened in 2001 – it’s not that long ago. They say, ‘You know what? Even if you’re going to make these artificial changes, we’re still going to protest and demand our rights.’

NJ: What is your message to the U.S. now?

MK: I think it was great they made statements by telling Bahrain that using violence is bad– but it’s now time for something more to stop human rights violations. In no way would I ever endorse any kind of military action in Bahrain now or in the future. But I think that threatening to cut off diplomatic ties, bringing up the issue at the United Nations Security Council, making a referral to the International Criminal Court or International Court of Justice would have a big [impact]. With Bahrain, even the threat of that would be enough for the government to make real changes because the Bahraini government really cares about its international image.
…more

Crackdowns, Torture and Intimidation in Bahrain
Contributed by Stephen Lendman on Sat, 2011/07/16 – 1:25pm

Largely ignored by Washington, Western governments, and America’s media, the ruling Al Khalifa monarchy continues cracking down brutally against nonviolent protesters since civil resistance began last February.

On July 14, UK Telegraph writer Richard Spencer headlined, “Bahraini woman poet tells of torture while in custody,” saying:

Incarcerated after reciting a poem critical of government policies, “Ayat al-Qurmezi (age 20) became one of the symbols of the (ongoing) protests….After she was arrested….she was beaten, electro(shocked) and threatened with sexual assault while in custody.”

On July 11, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) headlined, “Teachers ordeal in Bahrain: arrested, tortured, sacked, suspended and prosecuted,” saying:

Teachers and Bahrain Teachers Association (BTA) members participated in protest demonstrations, demanding respect for human rights and democratic change. As a result, they faced “arbitrary arrests, military prosecution, torture, suspensions, salary cuts, and investigation.”

BTA board members were arrested, held incommunicado with no access to family or lawyers. A month later, some were released. Others are still detained, including BTA President Mahdi Abu Deeb, charged with:

“deliver(ing) speeches haranguing and instigat(ing) protesters and inciting them against the political regime, flouting the real voluntary and lofty goals of the association.”

On June 6, Deeb and BTA Vice President Jaleela Al Salman were tried in military court charged with:

“inciting others to commit crimes, calling for the hatred and overthrow of the ruling system, holding pamphlets, disseminating fabricated stories and information, leaving work on purpose and encouraging others to do so and taking part at illegal practices.”

So far, at least 66 teachers were arrested. In addition, riot police repeatedly targeted 15 or more girls’ schools. Teachers and students were arbitrarily arrested, detained, and “physically abused.”

Other schools were also attacked. Many teachers were arrested, interrogated, intimidated, abused, charged with going on strike, participating in peaceful protests, and inciting anti-regime sentiment.

In custody, they were beaten and tortured. One female teacher said:

“Around 10 policewomen were asking me and beating me at the same time. Then they handcuffed me and kept beating me on the head and back while kicking me and stepping on my feet.”

Others were threatened with rape and beaten. A woman who had major back surgery was repeatedly kicked there after explaining her medical condition. …more

Bahrain Burning: A Fervor for Freedom that Cannot be Denied
written by The Real News

Bahrain and the Democratic Uprising
by TRNN
Born on June 15,1951 into a working class family in the south-western city of Ahvaz in the Khuzestan province of Iran, Hamid Dabashi received his early education in his hometown and his college education in Tehran, before he moved to the United States, where he received a dual Ph.D. in Sociology of Culture and Islamic Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University.

He wrote his doctoral dissertation on Max Weber’s theory of charismatic authority with Philip Rieff (1922-2006), the most distinguished Freudian cultural critic of his time. He is currently the Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York, the oldest and most prestigious Chair in his field. He has also taught and delivered lectures in many North American, European, Arab and Iranian universities. His books include Close Up: Iranian Cinema, Past, Present, Future (2001), Iran: A People Interrupted (2007), and The Green Movement and the USA: The Fox and the Paradox (2010). …source